Platov, Matveĭ Ivanovich, graf, 1751-1818

Count Matvei Ivanovich Platov was born on August 19, 1753, in Cherkassk, in the Don Host Province of the Russian Empire. He began his military service with the Don Cossacks in 1766. While he fought in several campaigns, such as the Crimean campaign, and won honors such as the Order of St. George, the Order of St. Vladimir, and the Golden Sword, he is most well known for being the Russian General who commanded the Don Cossacks in the Napoleonic Wars and founding the city of Novocherkassk as the new capital of the Don Host Province. He died on January 15, 1818 in Epanchitskoe near Taganrog, in the Russian Empire. He is buried in Novocherkassk Cathedral.